The performance and durability quotient of nail brushes depend on the quality of hair used in manufacturing the brush. Animal hair is always preferable because of its greater absorption quotient. However, high-quality synthetic fibers are available today that can rival animal hair in quality and endurance. In addition, nail brushes are unique because they use kolinsky sable hair, considered the best in the business. So this article compares the synthetic nail brush and the kolinsky sable nail brush in detail.
Before we start the actual comparison, let us discuss what kolinsky sable hair is and why it is considered unique.
What is kolinsky sable hair?
Sable hair is made from the fur of a special breed of weasel, usually found in the cold regions of Russia Siberia and North China. The freezing climate makes the fur thick and long. The kolinsky sable hair is derived from the kolinsky’s tail, a weasel predominantly found in Siberia and North China. The weasel owes its name to the area Kola, where they are generally found. Kolinsky sable hair is brownish-yellow in color. Unfortunately, since kolinsky hair is extremely hard to obtain, these nail brushes are incredibly expensive. The kolinsky sable hair nail brush costs more than ten times a similar nail brush made from synthetic fibers.
Difference between kolinsky sable nail brush and synthetic nail brush
The best brushes are made by hand, where experienced and skillful workers separate each strand manually and carefully choose the best hair with the highest absorption quotient. As a result, manufacturing kolinsky hair nail brushes requires exceptional skill and finesse. Winsor and Newton have manufactured some of the finest kolinsky sable hair brushes since Queen Victoria’s times. Even today, the women working on these brushes have experience of more than 20 years on the job.
· The size difference
Kolinsky hair brushes are perfect for painting on canvas and nails because the sable hair has a wide belly while tapering to a fine point. In comparison, synthetic fibers have a comparatively thinner belly for a brush of similar size. The synthetic hair brushes also taper beautifully toward the edges, but kolinsky hair brushes are infinitely better.
· The absorption quotient
Kolinsky hair absorbs more pigment and water than synthetic fibers. Since they taper out beautifully, these brushes are ideal for picking up more products and ensuring a perfect paint job. In comparison, synthetic fibers pick fewer products. Since kolinsky sable hair picks more products, you can paint extensively using these brushes. In addition, getting a thicker coat is possible with the kolinsky brush rather than the synthetic fiber brush.
· Shape retention
Kolinsky sable hair brushes are renowned for retaining their shape even with extended usage. Though the bristles are packed tightly, the animal hair brushes do not lose shape quickly. Instead, they taper to a fine point but spread out evenly when you press them on your nails. The best aspect of these brushes is that they retain their original shape quickly. Synthetic fibers are also equally good at retaining shape. However, synthetic brushes are less dense than their kolinsky counterparts.
· Brush marks on the nails
Synthetic fibers have the edge over kolinsky hair brushes because they leave fewer brush marks on the nails. However, kolinsky hair brushes compensate for that by absorbing more products. Therefore, animal hair brushes produce an even coating on the nails. On the other hand, since synthetic fibers hold comparatively fewer products, it results in a thinner coat.
· Cost can be a significant deterrent.
The pricing factor is one area where synthetic fiber nail brushes are more comfortably placed than kolinsky sable hair brushes. Synthetic fiber bristles are usually made of nylon or polyester. They are easy to obtain and are hence, budget-friendly. On the other hand, kolinsky hair is challenging to get. The kolinsky is found only in the freezing climates of Siberia and North China. This weasel is an endangered breed that does not grow in simulated weather conditions. Therefore, these hairs are tough to obtain. It increases the cost factor considerably.
· Manufacturing costs of kolinsky hair brushes are high.
While kolinsky hair is challenging to obtain, much effort goes into manufacturing these brushes. First, each kolinsky hair strand must be sterilized before it becomes ready for use. It requires extraordinary skills to separate bad hair from good ones. Besides, the preparation process requires removing the excess fur manually. Secondly, kolinsky hair differs from synthetic fibers because you must use them in the correct positions. Therefore, separating the hair strands requires aligning them in perfect shape.
· Wastage is higher in kolinsky hair brushes.
Another factor that affects nail brush pricing is the wastage of raw materials. On the one hand, kolinsky sable hair is expensive to obtain. Besides, preparing the hair for setting up the brush requires tremendous skills. In addition, there is more wastage in kolinsky hair than in synthetic fibers. Therefore, it adds to the manufacturing costs, making the kolinsky sable hair brushes more than ten times costlier than a synthetic fiber brush of the same size.
· The animal cruelty factor
The best nail brush manufacturers confirm that they do not subject the endangered weasel species to any cruelty when obtaining animal fur. However, animal rights activists keep opposing these claims because obtaining animal hair requires using force that can transgress into cruelty towards animals. Synthetic fibers do not have any such issues. So if you have vegan issues, synthetic fibers are the only option.
· Quality-wise, kolinsky sable hair nail brushes are infinitely better.
Though synthetic fiber bristles are excellent for producing high-quality nail brushes, nothing can beat the quality provided by kolinsky hair. The smoothness and natural feel provided by the weasel’s fur is any day better than the finest synthetic fibers. That explains why artists prefer using kolinsky sable hair brushes to synthetic fibers despite the massive difference in their pricing.
Call to Action
We have discussed the differences between synthetic fibers and kolinsky sable hair brushes in detail. While kolinsky hair brushes are costly, they have a tremendous market because of their supreme quality finish to your cosmetic procedures.
Queen Brush manufactures some of the best wholesale kolinsky hair brushes. Our bristles are golden-yellow with a darkish-brown tinge. We subject these brushes to the most stringent quality tests and manufacture them under hygienic conditions. We also ensure against animal cruelty. So, you can order your kolinsky nail brushes from us and be assured of the best quality. In addition, our synthetic hair brushes are also of the highest quality.
